Heartbeats
by MoonlightSpirit
Summary: Katara remembers a story her mother told her as a child. How does this story relate to Katara and Zuko? Katara finds out something about her and Zuko that she never thought was possible.


**This idea just randomly popped into my head one day and wouldn't leave me alone. Here's **_**Heartbeats**_**.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.**

Moonlight streamed through the the window in Katara's room. The night was quiet. It was times like these that Katara was glad that the Western Air Temple allowed everyone to have their own room. She could think clearly without Sokka or Toph's snoring, Aang's mumbling in his sleep, Momo's chittereing or Appa's low growls. And it was quiet nights like these that Katara thought of her mother. Her hand came up to touch the pendent of her necklace as she remembered something her mother had told her when she was little.

_Flashback_

_"Mommy! Mommy!" a four-year-old Katara shouted excitedly, running into the small ice house/igloo. Her mother bent down to be at eye level with her daughter._

_"What is it Katara?" her mother asked, looking into the wide innocent blue eyes her daughter had inherited from her._

_"How do you know if someone is your soulmate?" Katara asked. Her mother looked at her curiously._

_"What makes you ask that little one?" her mother asked._

_"I asked Kia why she's going to marry Hokito and she said it's 'cause they're soulmates," Katara answered. Kia and Hokito were a couple that were being married in a few weeks._

_"So you want to know how you know if someone is your soulmate?" her mother asked._

_"Yes," said Katara, slightly impatient, "That'a why I came here."_

_"Well, it's said that you can tell someone is your soulmate because your hearts will beat at the same pace," her mother answered, "It's as if your hearts beat as one. There are also smaller signs, like you touch their hand and it feels like lightning goes through you. Or you look into their eyes and your heart beats faster."_

_"Ooooh," Katara said, "Thank you." And she bounced outside_

_End Flashback_

It was one of the few stories Katara remembered her mother telling her. And everytime Katara met a guy she liked, she would remember the story. So far, no guy's heartbeat matched hers. When Jet held her close while helping her up to the Freedom Fighters hideout, his heartbeat was so off pace from her's, it wasn't even funny. When she hugged Haru after finding in him the the Fire Nation rig, she could tell he wasn't the one either. Their heartbeats were close, but not exact. And out of _all _times she hugged Aang, his heartbeat was the closest to matching hers, but it wasn't exactly like hers. And Zuko...well Katara didn't event _want _to get close enough to him to tell. Besides, what were the chances Zuko was her soulmate?

* * *

Katara walked through the halls of the Western Air Temple, humming a song as she carried a basket full of freshly washed clothes. She turned a corner and bumped right into someone. The cothes fell to the floor, but that person grabbed Katara's waist before she fell to the floor and held her close to them. Katara looked up to see who it was and noticed it was...

"Zuko!" she said in surprise. Katara was about to say something else, but something happened that made her forget. She could feel Zuko's heart beating against her. And his heartbeat matched her's perfectly. All words left Katara's mouth as she stood in shock. Zuko...and her...

"I just washed these," Katara said, trying and failing to sound annoyed. She let go of Zuko and bent down to pick up the clothes.

"I'll help," Zuko said, bending down to help her. He and Katara reached for the same piece of clothing at the same time and their hands touched. Katara felt something like electricity shoot up and arm and quickly withdrew her hand.

"I-It's okay. I've got it," Katara said nervously. She lifted her head to look at Zuko...and noticed just how close their faces were. She looked into his gold eyes and fet her heart speed up.

"I have to go," she said quickly, putting the remaining clothes in the basket and walking away as fast as she could. Once in the court yard, Katara looked up at the sky. And she could have sworn that, for a moment, the clouds formed the shape of her mother's smiling face.

**Finally, this story is out of my system. Please Review!**


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